bbc.com. “Mao Zedong: Memorialised in 2,000 statues” - China is celebrating the 120th anniversary of former leader Mao Zedong's birth. Chairman Mao, the founding father of modern China, remains a hugely controversial figure and his legacy is still up for debate. But he remains a presence in cities across China, in the form of more than 2,000 statues that were built to commemorate him.

outsideonline.com.‘Killer Python Escapes Capture” - A killer snake is loose on the streets of Bali. After strangling a security guard Friday morning, the python slithered off into nearby bushes and has yet to be apprehended. The trouble started when the snake—a 15-foot-long python—was spotted crossing a road near the Bali Hyatt hotel. A security guard at a nearby restaurant decided to capture the snake, hoping to remove the creature which had repeatedly been seen near the hotel.

vanguardngr.com.“Fireworks injure 160 as Philippines readies for New Year” - More than 160 people have been injured by fireworks in the Philippines as they prepared to welcome the New Year, the government said Saturday. A 14-year-old boy who lost his right hand and an elderly man with a ruptured eyeball were among the worst injured so far, Assistant Health Secretary Eric Tayag said.